Amusement or roundabout apparatus.



Nu. 703,834.\A

. Patented sep'f. 9, |902. G. w. scHonELn. AMUSENIENT 0RROUNDABUTAPPARATUS.

rpplicanion med Jan. 27, 190m' 3 sheets-sheath.

Y (No Model.)

Tn: cams PETERS co. Moro-uma. wgsnmmon. n. cA

No: 708,834. Patented sept. 9, |902.

1 ,6. w. scHoFlELn. Y

AMUSEMENT 0R ROUNIDABAUUT APPARATUS.

(Applicnion filed Jan. 27, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Paten-ted sept. 9, yi902.

(Application filed Jan. 27",A i902?) (No Model.)

UNITED STATES c PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SOHOFIELD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AMUSEM ENT OR ROUNDABOUT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,834, datedSeptember 9, 1902.

Application led January Z7, 1902. Serial No. 91,493. (ONO model. d

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SCHOEIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, New York city, county and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusementor Roundabout Apparatus, of which the following is such a full, clear,and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus that is used for pastime andrecreation; and the particular objects of the same are to provide anattractive apparatus possessingr novel and amusing characteristics thatwill at once excite the curiosity of pleasure-seekers and will affordthem in its use much pleasure.Y

To these ends my invention consists in the Various novel and peculiararrangements and combinations of the several parts of the apparatus, allas hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure l is a side view of a form of my improved apparatus, thedotted lines showing the position of certain parts of the apparatus whenthe same is swung in'one direction of its movement. Fig. 2 is a planview of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the'upper central swingremoved and with a portion of the. motor-car broken away to show itsgearing. Figs. 3 and 4 show, respectively, side and plan Views of amodified form of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a side view of anothermodified form of my apparatus with one end thereof broken away, and Fig.6 is an end view of this apparatus. Fig. 7 is a side view of anothermodified form of my improvedA apparatus, and Fig.`8 is an end view ofthe same. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view, on a reduced scale, showing thearrangement of car-tracks over which the car of the appa ratus may beoperated.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers of reference designatelike parts throughout, 2 is a car having two sets of Wheels 3, which areadapted to travel on rails 4, and this car is provided with a suitablemotor 5, the shaft@ ofwhich carriesa pinion 7, which drives a largegear-wheel 8 on the axle 9 of thecar-wheels. By this means the car 2 ispropelled in either direction along the track, and while the type ofmotor'shown is an electric one any well-known form of motor may be usedfor this purpose, or the car may be drawn by a cable or other suitablemeans. On the driving-axle of the cartruck is iixed a pinion 10, whichis provided with a clutch 1l, having a hand-lever 12 for opening andclosing it, so that when the clutch is closed the pinion 10 partakes ofthe motion of the axle; but when the clutch is open the pinion is atrest. This pinion 10 drives `a larger gear 13, which actuates acrank-shaft 14, to the crank of which is connected a pitman 15, theother end of which is pivoted at 16 to an oscillating member or beam 17.

The oscillating or rocking member 17 is provided at its center with atransverse horizontal shaft 18, which is mounted in suitable bearin gsupon standards 19, fixed upon the car 2 at opposite sides of the centerthereof in rigid position. The member 17, which may be made ofstructural iron or other suitable material, is shown as a trussed orbraced beam which tapers toward each end, where it carries a cross-bar20, from each end of which is hung loosely a suitable.

swings of coursemay be arranged in anyl suitable manner upon theoscillating beam and may be mounted above the beam instead of below it,as shown. In addition to the beam carrying the passenger-swings 21 Ialso provide it, near each end, with small figures of animals 24, thoseshown being horses, which are fixed upon the end of spring-bars 25,which are secured to the beam 17. Passengers may sit upon these figuresin the ICO same manner that they use similar figures in amerry-go-round, and they are given the seesaw motion, which has a slightspring action in consequence of the spring-mounting of the figures.

At the center of the rocking member or beam 17 I mount the uprightspring supports or frame 26, which are shown as made up of laminatedpiece-` of spring material which are secured to a fixed cross-piece 27on the beam above its axle 18. To the upper end ot thesespring-supportsIpivot at28athirdswing,sim ilar to the swings 21. Thiscentral swing 29 is given an oscillating movement back and forth abovethe beam, the throw of such movement depending upon the heightof thespring-supports 26. In addition to this upper swing being given thisoscillation by virtue of its connection with the oscillating beam I alsoprovide an additional motion for it in the way of a yielding or springmotion, which is imparted thereto by virtue of the yielding quality ofits support or frame 26, which is so constructedthatityieldsintheplanefoscillation. When the beam 17 is rocked on itsaxle so that one end is lowered while the other is raised, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, the upper swing is thrown over toward the lowend of the beam, and when the end of the stroke is reached the momentum,which increaseswith the weight of the passengers, causes the springsupporting-frame of this swing to yield or be bent outwardly stillfarther toward the low end ofthe beam, and this peculiar yielding orresilient effect gives this particular swing a quality not found in theothers, and passengers using it are caused to experience asomewhat-different sensation than is found in the use of the otherswing.

In using this apparatus, after the passengers are seated in the variousswings, or upon the seats or figures provided for passengers upon theoscillatingr beam, the car-motor is started and it drives the car slowlyalong the track, and the clutch 11 being closed the oscillating beam 17carrying the passengers is given a slow rocking motion in the verticalplane, so that the passengers are carried through compound motionsresulting from the oscillation of the beam and the translation of thecar. When it is desired to move the apparatus from place to place or torun it over the track without oscillating the beam carrying the swings,this may be done by opening the clutch 11 and running the motor whichpropels the car, the motor being so arranged that it may drive the carin either direction.

In the construction of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the upperswing is omitted and the figures near each end of the beam are replacedby seats 30, which are secured to the end of an arm 3l, hinged at 32 tothe upper side of the beam, each seat being mounted upon vertical rods33, which pass loosely through holes in a fixed cross-piece 34 and areprovided with compression-springs 35, interposed between the under sideof the seat and the upper side of the cross-piece 34 and I surroundingthe rods 33. As the beam 17 is oscillated on its center the weight ofthe passengers in the seats 30 will cause the springs to act at each endof the stroke and impart to the seats a peculiar spring action. In thisform also the oscillating member or beam 17 is actuated by a motor ofits own, the same being shown at 36 as located upon the car 2 andthrough means of its shaft 37 and a small beveled gear 38 driving alarge beveled gear 39, which in turn operates the crank-shaft 40, to thecrank of which is connected the pitman 41, having its upper end pivotedat 42 to the' beam.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the swing 29, which ispivoted at 28 to the frame, is given a yielding motion in the plane ofoscillation by virtue of its supporting-frame 43 being loosely journaledabout the shaft 18, on which the beam 17 rocks. The lower end of each ofthe said frames 43, carrying the swing, are provided with largecylindrical tubular members or hubs 44, which project inwardly under theswing and surround the shaft 18, upon which they turn. From one end ofthe beam 17, at a point 45 underneath the same, extends a band 46, whichpasses under a guide-pulley 47 upon a suitable xed extension of the car2 to the upper side of the hub 44 of one of the side frames 43 andthence around the same and is attached thereto. A similar band 48 isiixed to the other hub 44, passing around the saine and thence under aguide-pulley similar to 47, extends to the opposite end of theoscillating beam 17. These bands are made taut and are practically thesame length, as will be understood from Fig. 5, in which the bands areshown as wrapped for about the same distance around their respectivehubs 44 in consequence of the beam standing in horizontal position. Whenthe beam is oscillated by lowering, for instance, the left-hand endthereof, as observed from this figure, the stretch of band 46 betweenthe fixed point 45 and its hub is slackened, while the band48, owing toits end ofthe beam being raised, is tightened and drawn upon to such anextent that it pulls its attached hub slightly around on the axle 18,thereby throwing the frame 43 of the swing, which is connected atits-upper end by a bar 49, over toward the high side of the beam. Whenthe beam is tipped in the other direction, the opposite action takesplace, the band 46 being tightened, while the band 48 is slackened, andthe swinging frame 43 is thrown over toward the then high side of thebeam. In this way the yielding motion of the upper swing-frame in theplane of oscillation is provided for. In this form also the beam isshown as operated by a motor 36, independent of the car-motor. Thismotor has a shaft 37, driving a pinion 38, which actuates the largepinion 39,tl1rough which motion is given to the crank-shaft 40 andthence to the pitman'41.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 IOO the upper swing 29 ispivoted at 28 tothe yielding support or frame 43, which is connected atthe top by a rigid bar 49 and which on the axle 1S; but it isattached tothe oscillating beam 17 through means of a set of oppositely-actingsprings 50 and 5l, which act in pairs upon opposite sides of theswingframe and in the plane of oscillation. Below the center of the beam17 is arranged a set of counterweights 52, suspended from asupporting-bracket 53, which is rigidly connected with each of the hubs44, so that the weights counterbalance the swing structure above theaxle. When the oscillation of the beam causes the upper swing to plungeto one side orV the other by reason of its momentum, these weightscounteract this effect, as also do the springs, and this is another formin which I accomplish the idea of having the swing, which is controlledby an oscillating member adapted to yield in the plane of oscillationand to a point beyond that Which is given it by such oscillatingmemberthatis to say, the supporting-frame of each of the upper swingsherewith shown are so constructed that they have capacity of moving toone side or the other or yielding in the plane of oscillation t0 a pointbeyond that which such frame would reach if the frame were non-yieldingand rigidly connected to the oscillating beam.

In Fig. 9 I show the arrangement of a cartrack for the car to travel on,the track starting at a point and running back straight for a slightway, then curving around into a large loop 6l and switching onto thestraight stretch returns to the starting-point 60. In operating theoscillating swing-carrier upon this track the car is run down, say, fromthe point 60 along the straight portion of the track, thence around theloop, and back on the other straight part of the track to the terminal62, which in the next operation of the machine becomes thestarting-point, so that the apparatus is reversed in each complete tripthat it makes. This general arrangement of car-track is adopted for thepurpose of having the straight portions of the track placed on a' narrowlot-say a twenty-five-` foot lot-while the larger area back of such lotis occupied by the expanded loop of the track.

In setting forth my improved apparatus I have not observed particularlyTthe proportions of the various parts, and the same may be changed asdesired. For example, the axle or shaft 18 of the oscillating beam maybe placed some eight feet above the ground, or it may be located muchhigher than that, while the length of beam may be twenty-eight to thirtyfeet or much longer. Of course the The swing-frame 43 thus has a motionof its own larger the apparatus the greater will be the range ofmovement to which the various swings and seats can be subjected and thegreater will be the sensation of the person usingit. Instead 'of theoscillating swingcarrying mechanism being mounted on a car which ismoved over a track it may be placed upon any sort of Vehicle which vmaybe run over an ordinary road or path, orit may be placed upon a floatwhich is moved through the water. y

Byvirtue of the peculiar perambulating, roving, or migratorycharacteristic of my novel apparatus, which is on the order of-aroundabout, the seesaw-like swing or seat carrying mechanism is givenadditional attractive and curious features, which are well kcalculated.to excite the curiosity of pleasureseekers who frequent resorts wherethis general class of apparatus finds its greatest use. WVhilepossessing these curious features and serving to give the passengersnovel and pleasant sensations, yet the apparatus is not one that isattended with any particular danger or risk to the passengers safety, asis the case with some Well-known forms of recreation apparatus. It willbe obvious that the car or carrier may be made to traverse any desiredroute, and where such route should extend over a considerable area andtraverse several blocks or streets of a village the curiously-actingapparatus traveling from place to place will appear picturesque andcreate much interest in itself, which is the object sought by theoperators ofsuch devices.

In constructing the apparatus an ordinary self-propelling car may beused, and the superstructure thereon supporting the axle of theoscillating beam may be made of struclIoo tural iron, likewise the beamitself, and any f ordinary form of swing may be adopted. The spring ornon-swinging seats when used upon the beam maybe made in any desirableshape, and considerable taste can be displayed in respect to thesefeatures, as well as the feature of the swings.

I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the specificform of constructions herewith set forth, as it is evident thatmodifications may be made in the various parts thereof without, however,departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus for recreation consisting in the combination of anoscillating member or beam, and one or more swings hnngfrom said memberor beam, a suitable .carrier or car upon which said member or beam ismounted, and means for moving said carrier or car, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. .An apparatus for recreation consisting in the combination of anoscillating member or beam adapted to carry persons thereon,

IIO

means for oscillating said member or beam, and a carrier or car havingmeans for moving the same and upon which is mounted said osoillatingmember or bea-m, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An apparatus for recreation consisting in the combination of asuitable oarrieror car provided with means for moving the same, anoscillating member or beam mounted upon said carrier or car and adaptedto carry persons thereon, and mechanism mounted upon said carrier or earfor oscillating said member or beam, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

et. An apparatus for recreation consisting in the combination of asuitable Carrier or ear and means for moving the same, au oscillatingmember or beam mounted at about its center of length upon said carrieror oar and adapted to oscillate thereon and means for oscillating it,and a swing suspended from each end of said member or beam,substanstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An apparatus lfor recreation consisting in the combination of anoscillating member or beam, an upright support or frame oscillated bysaid member and adapted to yield in the plane of oscillation, and aswing hung upon said frame and the momentum of which causes said supportor frame to move or yield in the plane of oscillation, a suitablecarrier or car upon which said member or beam is mounted, and means formoving said carrier or car, substantially as and for lthe purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of thetWo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE 7. SCHOFIELD.

Witnesses:

WILLIS FOWLER, SAMUEL M. CHESNUT.

